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A review by andy1992
The Secret of Crickley Hall by James Herbert
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
DNF at 75%, unabridged version.
This book started as a decent story in need of a good editor. The mystery was intriguing but the author kept going off on random tangents about engineering projects or the in-depth backstories of very minor characters. Eventually, however, the story completely lost its way as the author started throwing in more and more "shock value" elements including detailed child abuse, paedophilia, flagellation and a constant stream of tragic deaths. It was as though he was trying to force an emotional response by throwing in every horrible thing he could think of. This, coupled with the disgusting way he described his female characters (incessantly fat-shaming a little girl in the narration and a constant focus on the bodies of children and women), made me throw in the towel.
This book started as a decent story in need of a good editor. The mystery was intriguing but the author kept going off on random tangents about engineering projects or the in-depth backstories of very minor characters. Eventually, however, the story completely lost its way as the author started throwing in more and more "shock value" elements including detailed child abuse, paedophilia, flagellation and a constant stream of tragic deaths. It was as though he was trying to force an emotional response by throwing in every horrible thing he could think of. This, coupled with the disgusting way he described his female characters (incessantly fat-shaming a little girl in the narration and a constant focus on the bodies of children and women), made me throw in the towel.